Upcoming Events:
Monday, March 7th Puffins to Library- If you would like to join us, arrive at the classroom @ 1:45p.m.
Wednesday, March 9th Out & About: Historic walking tour of downtown Forest Grove. Chaperones are welcome, but not required. If you are interested, email Ginny and meet us in the classroom at 1:45 p.m.
Students: wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather!
Friday, March 18th FGCS Yearbook Order Forms Deadline- Order forms were sent home this week on pink paper. Click here for an online Form.
Returning Student Form Was Due on March 1st
Click here to submit a Returning Student Form. Please fill out a separate form for each currently enrolled student who will be returning next year.
CHESS CLUB
4th graders, Level 3 & Level 4 students are welcome to join a new chess club
Level 4- Chris' classroom
Mondays after school from 3:30-4:30pm
Homework will be due on Thursday, March 10th:
Each week, homework is the following 3 parts:
1. Writing:
- Reading Response Letter in Writer's Notebook. Parents! Please take a look at the Directions for completing the Reading Response Letter (these can also can be found inside the front cover of the writing notebook.) Sentence starting ideas can be found on the last page of the notebook.
- NEW WRITING HOMEWORK OPTION: Students can TYPE their reading response and email it to:
[email protected] Title: Student Name/ Date - Students can get valuable keyboarding practice by typing their reading response letter each week. Please continue to proofread the letter and give feedback to your young writer. I recommend that students use Word or Pages to type/edit/save their work, and then cut and paste the finished response into the email. As you observe your kiddo typing, you will know if they need more "home-row" typing support. There are many free typing programs out there. Here are a few games/ websites to check out:
- http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/keyboarding_games.html
- http://www.abcya.com/kids_typing_game.htm
- https://www.typing.com/typinggames
2. Reading: Read for at least 20 minutes every night- track at home
3. Math: Complete at least 30 minutes of math practice per week-(more is recommended)
Suggested IXL skills for 3rd grade math practice:
- F.4, F.5, F.11 Multiply by 3, 4 and 10
Family Letter about 3rd grade multiplication goals
Multiplication activities to try at home
Suggested 4th grade math practice:
- Multiplication & Division Skills Practice on Khan Academy
- Multiplication facts up to 12: IXL (D.1- D.3) Division Facts up to 12: IXL (E.1- E.3)
- Fractions Jeopardy Game- Continue to practice concepts learned in our Fraction Unit
- Practice saying multiples (skip-counting) for numbers 2-12
Our Week in Review:
Project
This week, we imagined our long trek along the Oregon Trail had finally brought us to the Tualatin Valley. We learned more about a small town called Forest Grove, and considered whether it might be a nice place to finally settle! We visited the Old Train Station with Friends of Historic Forest Grove to learn what Forest Grove was like in its early days.
Next week, we will take a historic walking tour of downtown Forest Grove. Again, chaperones are welcome, but not required.
4th grade Math:
FRACTIONS CC 4.NF
This week we reviewed a few more concepts before taking our Fraction Unit Assessments.
Topics covered on our assessments:
- Multiplying a fraction by a whole number
- Proper and Improper fractions: Expressing improper fractions as mixed numbers & expressing a mixed number as an improper fraction
- Addition & Subtraction of mixed numbers
- Multiplying a mixed number by a whole number
- Decimal notation: Conversions between decimals and decimal fractions.
- Comparison of decimals/ Comparison of decimal fractions
Writing Workshop
Puffins have been working on a Donors Choose page essay. They are using their persuasive writing to seek grant money for our school. Our project: to create emergency earthquake kits for each classroom at FGCS and to educate fellow students. In their essays, students focus on:
- Goals for the project
- How they will complete the project
- Why this project is important
Stay tuned!
BIG IDEAS for Persuasive Writing:
- One way to become more informed is to do some background reading and see how that changes what you already know and think…
- To be CONVINCING,you need to be as INFORMED as you can be! (Research)
TIPS FOR RESEARCHING
- Read & look for important ideas that relate to your topic and support your ideas
- Highlight / underline / add notes
- Get the facts right by double checking for important names and numbers
- Rewrite in your own words and cite your sources
Reading Workshop:
Novel Study:
Students follow up sessions of focused, independent reading with a four part reflection. In their novel study journals, students list and define new words. They note examples of figurative language. They summarize the chapters they read, pose questions and make predictions about what might happen next in the story.
Literature circles:
These small group book clubs engage students in rich conversations about shared readings. Students can express their opinions, predictions, and questions about a text in a productive, structured way. Students take on specific group roles which are designed to develop reading, speaking, and thinking abilities.
Literature Circle Books we are reading:
- View From Saturday
- Bridge to Terabithia
- Holes
- Sideways Stories from Wayside School
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
Class Read Aloud
We are currently reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.